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MA Students Attend Supreme Court Oral Argument

On Tuesday October 8, 2013, MA in American Government Students were invited as guests of the Supreme Court to attend the Oral Argument in the Right to Counsel case of Burt v. Titlow.

The case involved a litigant who poured vodka down her uncle's throat while her aunt was smothering him to death with a pillow! She copped a plea to testify against her aunt, which she later withdrew. In the meantime, the aunt passed away and the litigant was charged with second degree murder. The justices spent most of their time clarifying the "fun facts" in the case, which proved to be a poor vehicle for clarifying existing precedent.

No cameras are allowed in the Court Room but here they are with Professor Burnam standing in front of the statue of Chief Justice John Marshal.